Laserfiche WebLink
<br />.~, I' <br /> <br />'r .... .... ~ <br />.~ ~ .... <br /> <br />SUMMARY <br /> <br />Tht.' propo~al re~ult~ from field :--tlldie~ b:--" the Fore~t Service" L". S. I )epartment of <br />Agriculture. and from con~idcration of r('c()mmendatj(Jn~ made by interested gr{)up~ and <br />individual~ at a public hearing held {ktober 10. lUfifi. Het.'ommelldation~ from uther <br />(;U\"ernment agende~ h(l.\'e likewbe been consideft'd. <br /> <br />Location <br /> <br />The proposed \rildt..rness is included within the houndarie~ of the Houtt ami \\11itl..' <br />Hiq~r :\'ational Forest,.: ill Eagle. (;arfil'ld. and Hiu Blanco Counties, all in northwest <br />Culorado. It b approx:imall:'ly 1 7u mile~ west of Denver, 220 mile~ northwest of Colo- <br />rado Spring:--. and 1-10 miles northeast of (;rund .Junction. Ea~t-\\\~~t acce~~ b pro\'ided <br />from C. S. Highwa:--' 40 on the north and lnterstatl' Highway 70 on the south. State <br />Highways la and 789 on the west and State Highway 131 on the east provide :-':orth- <br />South access. <br /> <br /> <br />B'g Marv,n.. Peak across T_;n Lak..s <br /> <br />:\atural He~ources <br /> <br />Contrasting cover types highlighl thl' topographic fcatures of the I'lat T()p~. Island~ <br />of timber are surroundt'd b:--" grassland. which covcr:- about -10 per('ellt of the plateau. <br />D('ad timbl'r. tlw rl'~ult uf a ~l'\'ere in:,c('t epidemiC'. l'o\"er~ about ()().;)()() at..H'~ or .Hi <br />pCf(:cnt of the land" (;rccn timber. on'urring a~ small i:-,;Iandi" or dUll1p~ of mature <br />En!{clmann SprU('l' trees that c!"caped the bel'lle dcpradatiun. co\'er~ about .l per('cnt <br />of the area. Other !{fl-'cn timber con...ists of the young tfl'el' which form an under~tory <br />within the fOfest uf dead ~nag~. The timber ha:" no imnll'diatl' eeonomk \',due a!" re- <br />lated to the allowable annual har\'est of the :\'"ational Fure:<t program. <br /> <br />Water b by far the mo:<t important resource of the j'lat Top:- uther than \\"ilderne~s. <br />;\n annual a\'eragc precipitation uf 30 iIK.he:--. fallin!{ mo:--tly a~ ~now. produce~ at leal't <br />J1~.a('re-fl'ct of runoff per aCfe. ..\:< a watershed under \\"UdenH:'s~ management. the area <br />will hecume increa:-ingly important for off~ite users in agriculturl', indu:<try. and nearby <br />:<ettlements. <br /> <br />Grazing of dOlll6tic live:<tock il" important \\ithin the \\'ildl'nll'~s. Six: cattle and 18 <br />l'hl'ep all()tml.'nt~ pro\.ide 560 cattlt."m()nth~ and .to,OoO :<hel'p-month~ of grazing- an- <br />